'Staff movement between wards is being monitored to reduce the potential of the bacterium spreading and an increased cleaning schedule has been introduced on the ward. I would like to reassure patients and members of the public that the situation is in hand.'

Full details of the hospital's struggling financial position emerged in April when it announced 250 jobs would need to be shed to stem its spiralling debt. In the red to the tune of nearly £2m, it launched a Getting Back into the Black strategy to cure its flagging finances and fend off a projected overspend of millions more.